Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yogigi Pink’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Yogigi Pink’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; decorative-type inflorescences with obovate-shaped ray florets; two-toned ray florets that are initially dark pink in color becoming lighter pink with development; and natural season flowering about September 26 th  in the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Yogigi Pink’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium,commercially grown as a garden Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Yogigi Pink’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofthe Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Yogigi, not patented. The newChrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant from within a population of plants of the cultivarYogigi in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. in May, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative cuttings wasfirst conducted in Alva, Fla. in July, 2005. Asexual reproduction bycuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemumare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Yogigi Pink have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Yogigi Pink’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Yogigi Pink’ as a new and distinct gardenChrysanthemum cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and rounded plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.    -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Decorative-type inflorescences with obovate-shaped ray        florets.    -   5. Two-toned ray florets that are initially dark pink in color        becoming lighter pink with development.    -   6. Natural season flowering about September 26^(th) in the        Northern Hemisphere.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the parent, the cultivar Yogigi,in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Yogigi        differ in ray floret color as plants of the cultivar Yogigi have        lighter and less intense pink-colored ray florets.    -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum resist fading        better than ray florets of teh cultivar Yogigi.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Lynn, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,171. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Lynn in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were smaller and more rounded        than plants of the cultivar Lynn.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more flexible and less        brittle than plants of the cultivar Lynn.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences        than plants of the cultivar Lynn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum. The photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Yogigi Pink’.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Yogigi Pink’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Monroeville, N.J. during the latesummer and autumn in an outdoor nursery and under conditions andpractices which approximate those generally used in commercial gardenChrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures averaged 29° C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C.Plants were grown in containers under natural daylength. Plants used inthe photographs and for the description were not pinched and were aboutthree months old. In the following description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Yogigi    Pink.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the    Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Yogigi, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at temperatures of            about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About ten to twelve            days at temperatures of about 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum.            Compact, stems upright and outwardly spreading giving a            uniformly rounded appearance to the plant. Freely branching            habit, about 15 lateral branches develop after removal of            teminal apex (pinching) each with numerous secondary            laterals; dense and full plant habit. Moderately vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 23 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 51 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 26 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Strength: Strong, flexible.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 147C.        -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 3 cm.            Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Palmately-lobed; roughly ovate.            Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed,            sinuses between lateral lobes parallel to divergent.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Fine pubescence; veins            prominent on lower surface. Color: Developing and fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A; venation, 146B.            Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137B;            venation, 147C. Petiole: Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: 147C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with            obovate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on            terminals above foliage. Disc and ray florets arranged            acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences fragrant;            pungent, herbaceous.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants            flower about September 26^(th) in the Northern Hemisphere.            At other times of the year, inflorescence initiation and            development can be induced under short day/long night            conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Early            flowering habit; plants exposed to photoinductive short            day/long night conditions flower about 45 days later.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Plants maintain good color and            substance for about four weeks.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About 64 inflorescences develop            per lateral branch.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About            1.2 cm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 75A to 75B.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.5 cm. Depth (height):            About 1.3 cm. Disc diameter: About 5 mm. Receptacle            diameter: About 1.4 cm. Receptacle height: About 3 mm.            Receptacle color: 148A.        -   Ray florets.—Orientation: Initially upright, then about 90°            from vertical or perpendicular to peduncle. Length: About            1.5 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Acute to            emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, velvety. Number of ray            florets per inflorescence: About 220 arranged in about ten            whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 155D;            towards the margins tinted with close to 78A to 78D. When            opening, lower surface: Close to 155D; towards the margins,            tinted with close to 78C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 155D tinted with close to 75C to 75D. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 155D tinted with close to 75A.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Length: About 6 mm.            Diameter: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per            inflorescence: About 16. Color, immature: Apex: Close to            13A. Mid-section: Close to 1C. Base: Close to 157A. Color,            mature: Apex: Close to 14A. Mid-section: Close to 1C. Base:            Close to 157A.        -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 20            arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 7 mm. Width:            About 3 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.            Texture, upper surface: Smooth, waxy. Texture, lower            surface: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 144A.            Color, lower surface: Close to 146C.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 5.8 cm. Length,            fourth peduncle: About 9.6 cm. Diameter, terminal peduncle:            About 2 mm. Angle: About 30° to 45° from vertical. Strength:            Strong; flexible. Texture: Pubescent; longitudinally ridged.            Color: Close to 147C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About five            per floret. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color:            Close to 157D. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape:            Narrowly lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 15A. Pollen            amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 15A. Gynoecium:            Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma            color: Close to 12B. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color:            Close to 145B. Ovary color: Close to 157C.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under    commercial conditions.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have    demonstrated excellent garden performance and to tolerate    temperatures from about 0° C. to about 38° C.

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yogigi Pink’ asillustrated and described.